Because of You
by 19-twilight-fan-93
Summary: Edward Mason was a changed man because of his four year old daughter. The day his daughter went missing because of his past, was the day his life turned upside down. Isabella Swan was just another student at the University of Chicago until her father's actions came back to haunt her. When their worlds collide, will they be able to overcome their differences and survive? All human
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer. I am in no way affiliated with Stephenie Meyer. I have never even met Stephenie Meyer. If you think I am Stephenie Meyer, you need to seek professional help.**

**A/N: Now that that's taken care of, this story has been floating around for a while and I just recently sent the first chapter for my beta – thanks, mommyof3boys :). Then I wrote the prologue. **

**I need your opinion, that's the only way I'm going to continue this story is with enough feedback. If I get enough, I **_**might**_** post chapter 1 tomorrow :)**

**Song Rec: Never Grow Up – Taylor Swift**

"Maggie, Emma, Ben time for dinner." Angela Cheney yelled to her five-year old twin girls who were outside playing in their pool and her husband who was outside with them. At the sound of their mother's voice they quickly jumped out, Ben wrapped them in their towels and the three of them rushed inside. It was one of those sunny, hot days in the raining town of Forks, Washington and the Cheney's were taking advantage of it.

"Go get some clothes on girls, swimming suits in the hamper please." Ben said as he kissed his daughters and then joined his wife in the kitchen.

"Yes, daddy." The girls chorused and ran towards the stairs.

"How's my beautiful wife?" Ben asked Angela as she finished dinner.

"I'm good." She winked then walked towards the kitchen. Ben stood in shock watching her shake her hips as she disappeared around the corner. Angela could picture her husband's face and let out a giggle just as he entered the room.

Maggie and Emma came running down the stairs in matching outfits and took their seat at the table. The happy family ate in silence.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

After dinner was done and the dishes were washed, the girls went to their toy room to play and Angela and Ben headed to the living room. Ben turned on the news while Angela grabbed her bag to finish grading the finals. She was a high school teacher at the local school and as much as she loved being a teacher and her students, she didn't like grading finals at the end of the year.

Thirty minutes past in silence as Ben watched TV and his wife graded papers until another news reporter appeared on the screen. 'Live Broadcast, New York City' was flashing and this got Angela's attention.

"_We interrupt your normal programming for an important update. This just in, Isabella Swan has been found alive and well. Witnesses say they saw her roaming the park with an unidentifiable man, when the man turned his back she began running towards the woods. Officers were called to the scene but there was no trace of Miss Swan or the man. Miss Swan was later found in an abandoned alleyway where she was taken to the hospital. Chief Swan and Renee Dwyer are with their daughter at Memorial Hospital in New York City."_

It switched back to the normal news broadcast but Angela and Ben starred at each other in shock.

"Was that…" Ben started.

"Bella." Angela finished.

They immediately sprang into action, calling for the girls and grabbing the essentials for their emergency road trip. There was only one thought running through Angela's mind; my best friend is back.

**Should I continue? Leave your thoughts :)**

**Just putting this out there, this **_**is **_**a Bella/Edward story, **_**not**_** a Ben/Angela story! **

**Maddie**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own Twilight although I did own a ticket to the premiere of BD Pt 2 which was amazing! **

**I'm sorry it took me so long to update this story! I had two chapters wrote, beta'd and ready to publish when I realized that it wasn't how I wanted my story to start so I'm now posting this chapter, unbeta'd and freshly written at 4 am! **

**After watching Breaking Dawn part 2, I had a sudden burst of energy to just sit down and write, so I did, and 4,394 words later, this is the result. **

**I hope it was worth the wait, and that you guys enjoy this chapter. I'm sorry if it's all over the place; like I said, unbeta'd. (My beta is currently at the BD pt 2 release! :P )**

**Anyway, reviewers will get a teaser of the next chapter. I wouldn't be able to tell you when that'll be out because finals are literally less than a month away. **

* * *

Carlisle Cullen sat at the head of a large table with a bunch of diagrams covering the surface. He looked around the table at the familiar faces of his employee; the people which make up the feared Cullen gang. The plan they had been working on for months was to go down tonight, and Carlisle could feel the adrenaline rushing through his body at the very thought of what was to happen.

Edward, Rosalie, and Jasper were just some of the members of this well-known gang. Every place they hit, they had the FBI and local police on their tails, but the officers could never get close enough to catch them in the act. Police searched day and night to get a hit on them and take them down but the Cullens were just too smart.

Carlisle had raised his adoptive children, Edward, Jasper and Rosalie, to be excellent thieves just as he was. He and his wife had acted like the picture-perfect parents when they met their children for the first time, but once at home, and each child was settled in, he let his true colors show.

Esme, his wife, was behind him and his decisions one-hundred percent. She didn't judge him for the crimes he committed and was happy to be the housewife and Home Design Artist she was known as. Although she didn't approve, she didn't voice her opinion. Her father was also a criminal, and she had been given to Carlisle, who was a member of his gang at the time, as a reward for his hard earned work. Esme was scared at first, but after several months of Carlisle proving to her that he wasn't going to hurt her, she warmed up to him and eventually fell in love.

After five long years of training their adoptive children to be the best thieves they could be, and they had proved themselves on several minor jobs, it was time to commit the one job Carlisle had been looking forward to for years; a bank robbery he had worked for hours, weeks, even months on.

Each of the children has a special task to perform. Jasper had to disabled the security system, and once Edward and Carlisle were out of the van, Rosalie had to drive the van around back to pick up her older brother. Carlisle and Edward were supposed to simply crack open the safe, get the money, and get out.

They had no trouble entering the bank through a secret entrance in the toy store just around the corner. Carlisle and Edward worked calmly on getting into the safe. Once the lock was open Edward quickly grabbed the money and packed it in a bag but Carlisle had his eye on something more valuable.

"Carlisle, the money, remember? Those gold blocks weight about twenty-seven pounds apiece, it would be impossible to carry more than a few each. Come on, we have to go." Carlisle stole his eyes from the gold blocks and left the door in front of his son. They continued through the bank in a brisk walk until they exited through the back door leading into a near-by alleyway. Rosalie and Jasper were already waiting for them by the road.

Once they had exited the bank they were spotted by a homeless man. Carlisle panicked but kept a calm facade as he raised his gun towards the man. He was never one to kill, but he did when his or his children's safety was at risk.

"Don't." Edward protested. "He's harmless." Carlisle ignored him and cocked his gun. Edward sighed and launched towards his father, trying to grab the gun from his father's hands. Rosalie and Jasper watched from the van in shock. The trigger was pulled and Carlisle howled in pain; he had been shot.

Money forgotten on the ground, Edward began pulling his father towards the safety of the van. Once close enough to the van, Rosalie and Jasper jumped out to assist Edward. Besides being trained as criminals, Carlisle had also taught his children first aid, so it was no problem for Rosalie and Jasper to begin working on his leg as soon as he was in the van.

Edward panicked when he realized the bag of money containing ten million dollars was left back in the alleyway. With one last look towards his father, he took off towards the black bag.

He could hear Rosalie and Jasper's pleading screams behind him as the unmistakable sounds of sirens could be hear in the distance. He ignored them and quickly grabbed the bag as he approached it. Just as he was about to head back to the van the man in which Carlisle had threatened spoke.

"You're ride is leaving man." Edward quickly turned around to see Jasper frowning at him through the passenger window. The black van left a cloud of dust as they disappeared from sight.

"No wait, come back!" Edward shouted as he ran with the heavy bag of bills towards the front of the alley. He sighed in frustration as the van turned the corner and was out of sight. He quickly whipped around when he heard sirens only feet away. He threw the bag of money in a nearby dumpster then slowly turned with his hood up to begin walking down the street. When the cops flew by him, not giving him a second glance, Edward left out a sigh of relief. He was in the clear, for now.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

He continued walking down the dark street until he came to a diner on the corner. With one last look around him, he quickly walked into the diner and pulled his hood down. He sat down at a booth in towards the back and just stared at the table in front of him. _What now?_ His family left him stranded, he was a lonely teenager with only fifty dollars to his name, and a cell phone with limited numbers; those numbers consisting of only his family members and his father's men.

Tanya Denali watched the teenager who had just walked into her family's diner sitting in the booth by himself. She waited for him to pull out his cell phone, or for someone to walk in the door and go talk to him. Ten minutes passed when she decided it was time to make her presence known.

She took her notepad in her hand and walked up to his table. She cleared her throat causing him to jump a little before he slowly looked up at her.

"Is there anything I can get you? We're closing in about ten minutes." Tanya said softly, the boy looked no older than her –being only sixteen- and his puffy cheeks and red rimmed eyes told her he had been crying.

Edward looked up at the girl, "No thank-you, I'll just be on my way." He moved to get up when she spoke again.

"I don't think you should be walking alone by yourself, especially this late at night, the streets are dangerous." Tanya and her family had only moved to the area a few months ago and they heard all about the famous Cullens.

"I'm sure I'll be fine, thank-you." Despite the situation he was in, Edward couldn't help but smile at her concern.

"Tanya, honey, it's time to close up…oh, hello." Her mother stopped to assess the scene as she came down the stairs.

"What is a young man like yourself doing out this late at night?" Her mother asked the young boy in front of her.

"I'm sorry for any trouble ma'am; I'll be on my way." Edward didn't know exactly _where_ he was going to go; just that he had to get out of their way.

"Nonsense, you're not causing any trouble. Is there anyone you would like me to call; parents, siblings, or someone to come pick you up?" Edward shook his head sadly.

"I-I…ran…away." He lied, praying they would believe him.

"Oh, you poor thing, you must be hungry and scared. Let me get you something to eat and then we'll figure out where you can stay for the night." Carmen, Tanya's mother, said as she hurried into the kitchen to prepare something for the boy.

Edward politely thanked her and took a seat on the stools next to the counter.

Tanya disappeared into the kitchen after excusing herself and returned seconds later, "Was there anything in particular that you wanted? We have a pizza already made, would you like some of that?"

"Anything would be fine, thank-you." Tanya nodded and Carmen walked into the kitchen carrying a plate with a slice of pizza, and a glass with her.

After setting the plate in front of Edward she asked him what he would like to drink. He quickly replied with Coke and started eating his pizza, thanking the family once again for their generosity.

Once his plate and glass was empty he stood up from his place at the counter. He thought about how much money he was going to offer the family for his kindness, but didn't get a chance to when Carmen and Tanya left the kitchen and stood behind the counter.

"Where are you going?" Carmen asked the young boy as he was walking towards the door.

"I..uh..i.." he trailed off, unable to form words.

"I spoke to my husband and he agreed it would be best for you to spend the night, and then tomorrow we can help you look for a place to stay."

"You don't have to do that, it's fine. I'll just go…somewhere." Edward tried to assure her, but the look on her face told Edward that he didn't really have a choice in the matter.

"It's the least we could do. Now come on, no more fussing, let's get you upstairs and settled away." Edward nodded, not having the strength or the heart to fight with the kind lady, and followed her and her daughter up the stairs to their home. As they walked, Carmen looked at Edward curiously, "I'm sorry if we never introduced ourselves properly; I'm Carmen Denali, and this is my youngest daughter Tanya. My husband and other children are upstairs, but I didn't catch your name, honey."

"Oh, I'm…" Edward thought about lying, but at the last second he changed his mind, "Edward, Edward ...Mason." Technically he didn't lie; Mason was his parent's name. Many people knew him as Edward Cullen; very few knew him as Edward Mason.

"Well, Edward, I hope you enjoy your stay here tonight, you can take the guest bedroom at the end of the hallway; last door on your right. I'll set out an extra toothbrush and some toothpaste for you on the sink; bathroom is the second door on your left. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask. Tanya is just next door to you, Irina's room is second last door on the left and Garrett is across the hall. Make yourself at home sweetie, good night."

"Thank-you again, Mrs. Denali, words cannot describe how grateful I am for you generosity." Edward said as she waved him off and they parted ways. He walked to the room in which she said was his for the night and looked around as he opened the door.

The room had a cream color theme to it; the walls were a light brown, as well as the curtains and bed. The furniture in the room was dark oak wood, as well as the hardwood floor beneath his feet. He closed the door and fell face first on the bed. It was only then that he realized just how exhausted he really was. It wasn't long before he felt his eyes closing as he drifted into a dreamless sleep.

**Two months later…**

"Tanya, I love you, but we have to get ready for work." Edward chuckled as his girlfriend of three weeks continued to kiss his neck and any place she could get access to.

"I just want to lay in the bed all day with you." Tanya whined as Edward pulled them both into a sitting position.

"As much as I would love that, we have a job to do." Edward pulled his girlfriend in for one last kiss before climbing out of bed and pulling oh his clothes. He slowly opened the door and poked his head outside, when he saw the close was clear, he made a beeline to the bathroom. Since they started going out, Edward and Tanya had been sneaking into the other's room when they knew the other's in the house were asleep. So far, they have been successful with not getting caught.

Two months ago today, was the day in which his life had change forever. The Denali family had grown to love him in the few short days which he had stayed with them. Eleazar had offer to teach him to cook, and then offered him a job when he kept telling the family that he was going to move out to find a job and a place to stay. Eleazar was so impressed with his cooking skills that he just couldn't let someone with his talents go so easily.

After much convincing, Edward agreed to stay but only if he could offer them some money as a thank-you. At first Eleazar and Carmen wouldn't take it, but eventually they accepted his offerings as long as he continued working in their restaurant.

He had only been living with the family for a month, and working for two weeks when found out that Tanya had a crush on him. He and Garrett had formed a close bond and one day when they were both working the kitchen at the restaurant he let that little detail slip. Edward was confused as first, but eventually he realized that he had a small crush on her as well.

It was only a week later that they confessed their love, and when Edward took her on a date Friday night, they knew their new found love was going to last.

Now two months later, they were closer than ever. Edward was brought out of his musing when he felt two arms snake around his waist, and a warm body press against his. He knew right away who it was and turned around to smile at his girlfriend, letting the water hit his back.

"I missed you," she sighed.

Edward laughed, "Baby, I've only been in here for five minutes."

Tanya looked at him through her long lashes, "actually, it's been more like twenty." She laughed at his expression and stood on her toes to kiss him.

Edward closed the distance, and once they broke apart, he left the shower.

"Hey, babe, I wanted to shower together." Tanya pouted as she watched her boyfriend get dried off. Sadly his back was facing her so she didn't get a good look since he had a towel around his waist when he turned to face her.

"So do I, but we'll never make it to work on time, and you know it." He winked and walked out the door, letting a rush of cold air into the room, causing Tanya to shiver. She pouted and crossed her arms, but nonetheless got ready for a long day at work.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

**One month later…**

"Are you sure, Tanya? Did you tell Edward yet?" Kate, Garrett's girlfriend, asked Tanya as they both sat in the waiting room at the local clinic.

"I'm pretty sure Kate. We had sex two weeks ago, and I've been sick every morning for the past week and a half. We were drunk, but I know we had sex. And no, Edward doesn't know yet. " Tanya said as she nervously played with her fingers.

"Tan, I love you as a sister, but Edward should be the one here with you, not me."

"I'm afraid to see his reaction. What if I am pregnant? We had a conversation about babies a few weeks ago and he said that he didn't want children until he was married. He's going to leave me, I know it. I'll be a struggling single mom and have to live with my parents for the rest of my life." Tanya burst into tears and placed her head on her best friends shoulder as she cried.

Kate tried to ease her friend's tears when she noticed people were starting to stare. Tanya had just walked out of the bathroom, after fixing her appearance, when the nurse called her name. Tanya and Kate walked into the doctor's office hand-in-hand. Kate took a seat on the chair, and Tanya got on the bed just as the doctor walked into the room.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Siobhan Corelli, how may I help you today?" She asked as she took a seat in her chair.

"I-I.." Kate grabbed Tanya's hand for suppose as she watched her take a deep breath and speak again, "I think I'm… pregnant."

**0o0o0o0o0o**

**Later that day…**

Tanya's knee continued to bounce as she and Kate drove towards the diner.

"Sweetie, calm down, I can be there when you tell Edward the news, or if you think you can tell him yourself then I'll give you two some privacy." Tanya nodded but remained silent, she didn't know if she wanted Kate with her, or if she should tell Edward the news herself, but one thing was for certain; she would be nervous either way.

Edward was in the kitchen making orders when he noticed his girlfriend standing in the doorway. She looked pale and …frightened. Edward dropped what he was doing and quickly walked towards Tanya; she looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Tanya, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Edward called for Eleazar who was busy working in the back. When he noticed the state his daughter was in as he came around the corner, his pace sped up tremendously.

"Tanya, are you okay? Edward, grab a chair." Edward nodded and quickly got a chair to place his girlfriend in.

"Honey, tell me what's wrong, you look like you saw a ghost." Tanya let out a small laugh and shook her head. Both men seem to release a held breath at this little action.

"I'm fine dad; I need to speak with Edward though, alone." After checking his daughter over for the third time since she took a seat, he nodded and walked back to what he was doing.

"Go on Edward, I'll take over." Eleazar said as he read each order and finished Edward's plates in which he had started.

Edward nodded and wrapped his arm around Tanya's waist, leading her upstairs to privacy. They sat on the couch facing each other when Edward spoke again.

"Please tell me what's wrong, you're scaring me." He noticed how tired Tanya looked as he moved his thumb under her droopy eyes. They had dark shadows under them; it looked as though she hadn't slept in ages.

Tanya took a final deep breath before turning to the father of her child, "Edward, I just saw the doctor. Kate came with me and I found out that I'm…pregnant." Edward's world seemed to stand still. _I'm going to be a …father?_ It seemed like a century before he spoke.

"You mean…" Tanya nodded, as if she knew what he was going to say.

"Remember the night of Kate's birthday? We were both drunk; I think that was when I conceived. We _did_ have sex that night Edward. Please don't be mad, I wanted to tell you but I didn't know if I was or not and then if I wasn't you would have been uhmp-" Tanya's ramblings was cut short by Edward's lips as they locked with hers.

She smiled as they broke apart, "Are you mad?" Edward shook his head and smiled.

"Why would I be mad? You're giving me a child. You've just made me the happiest man alive!" He picked her up off the couch and spun her around. "I love you so much."

"I only hope that my parent's takes the news as well as you did." Tanya said softly.

"I'm sure they'll be just as happy; they _are_ going to be grandparents." Edward said as they walked back down to the restaurant where she knew her parents would be.

Kate was sitting in a booth with Garrett and Carmen as they talked about the holidays which were becoming closer with every passing day. Kate smiled when she noticed Tanya and Edward's matching grins. She winked at Tanya with caused Tanya to nod back. _I knew it._ Kate felt happy for the expecting couple, and couldn't wait for her own child with Garrett. She could only hope they would share the same happiness as her best friend.

That night, Edward and Tanya stood in front of Garrett, Kate, Irina, Carmen and Eleazar in the living room after dinner. They had told the family that they had exciting news to share, but it would have to wait until after they ate. If Tanya's parents noticed how their youngest daughter ate enough food for two people, they didn't say anything about it.

Edward and Tanya stood in front of the room, all attention directed on them, as they wore matching smiles.

"As you all know, Edward and I have some exciting news to share. I went to the doctor today, and well, long story short…we're having a baby." Tanya waited nervously for her family's reaction; she _was_ the youngest of three children.

"Oh honey, that's great news, I'm going to be a nanny." Her mother was the first to recover from shock as she hugged her daughter and then Edward. Next to recover was Irina, and then finally Tanya's father.

He slowly walked towards the couple, his face emotionless. "Well, this was… not expected. I thought you were going to say something less shocking, like you were moving in together, or something." He chuckled and shook his head, "My little girl is becoming a _mom_. My baby is growing up." He hugged his daughter tightly in his arms. "You'll make a great mother." He whispered in her ear before he released her.

Eleazar looked towards Edward, and although he didn't speak a word, Edward knew exactly what message he was sending him. Edward nodded to show he understood, and once satisfied; Eleazar drew Edward into a hug.

Tanya smiled at Kate; everything was going to be perfect.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

**9 months later…**

"Get this thing out of me." Tanya said as she lid on the hospital bed, her parents and siblings close by her side. The baby was a week over due, and every minute was torture. Edward had left the room to drive to the nearest coffee shop. It was three am and the baby was finally coming. He knew it would be a long night and he needed somethingto stay awake through the pain he knew his wife was going to be in.

The day after the young couple had shared the news with Tanya's family; Edward went out and bought a simple, yet elegant, ring after asking his soon-to-be-father-in-law for Tanya's hand in marriage. Once Edward had her family's blessing, he decided to use the money he had saved for college and left bought the mother of his child a ring.

Tanya accepted his proposal and they got married two months later. They never had a big ceremony, just close family and friends since it was such a short notice. The couple was happy though, as they said their vows and became husband and wife.

"That'll be four eighty-one please." Edward quickly handed the cashier a five dollar bill and left the restaurant with coffee's in hand. He returned to the hospital in no time, and made his way back up to his wife's room. He noticed the pained look on her face as he entered the room and quickly handed the coffees off to the nearest person to run to her side.

He kissed Tanya's forehead as another painful contraction hit. He whispered words of encouragement in her ear and when another contraction hit not even a minute later, he knew it was time.

Twenty minute later, Abigail Elizabeth Mason came kicking and screaming into the word. Edward smiled as he held his daughter for the first time, tears rolled down his face as she stared at him. It was as if she already knew who he was.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

**Two years later…**

Abigail screamed as she had yet another tantrum when something didn't go her way; she had hit the terrible twos and made sure her parents knew it.

"Shut her up, I can't take any more of her screaming." Tanya said over her daughter's crying.

Edward looked at her as if she had grown two heads, "And you think I can? At least I _try_ and comfort her. You either leave the house or pop earphones in your ears then turn your music up loud. The least you can do is acknowledge your daughter once in a while."

"I don't see you comforting her now, Mr. 'I'm-the-perfect-father'." Tanya argued; ready to walk out the door.

"That's because I'm too busy dealing with you. I swear you're more work than Abby some times." Edward said as he walked towards his daughter's bedroom. Tanya had shoved her in there when she wouldn't stop crying.

"Yeah, 'cause you're the perfect father." Tanya shot back, not ready to end the argument so easily.

"I didn't say I was, but I know one thing, I'm a _much_ better parent than you will ever be. At least I acknowledge the poor child; you act like she's invisible all day, every day! Sometimes I wonder if you even wanted her in the first place."

Tanya stood in the living with her mouth open as she watched her husband disappear down the hallway of their tiny apartment.

Without another word, she grabbed her already packed suitcase and her purse and left the apartment. That was the last time she had seen her husband and daughter.

Edward hummed a soft melody to his daughter as he rocked her to sleep. When his daughter was safely tucked into bed, he dragged himself to the next room and fell asleep on his bed. Little did he know that his life was about to change forever.

* * *

**I'm not use to writing in third person, at all, so I hope this made sense and was worth the wait :) **

**Reviewers get a teaser of the next chapter! :)**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm sorry I haven't been updating like I said I would, but I only received one review on the last chapter. Was it not what you guys were expecting? I kinda wrote this story on a whim after watching a movie, and I was hoping to get a good response. As much as I enjoy writing this story, I'm going to take it down if I don't have a good response after this chapter. Sorry to anyone who actually likes this story. **

**I'm not 100 percent sure if this was beta'd or not, but I have to thank my beta anyways because she gives me the inspiration to write :) **

**Hopefully this chapter will live up to your expectations.**

* * *

"Come on Bella, it is one night and I want you to go, please?" Angela Weber pouted as she walked with her best friend through one of the many buildings making up the University of Chicago.

"Angela, it's also the night before my _midterm_, I wish I could go." Bella Swan returned her friend's look as she replied.

"You've been studying for this exam for two weeks; one night is not going to hurt!" Angela argued, but she knew it was pointless.

Bella sighed and stopped outside her classroom door. "If it wasn't the night before my exam, then I would gladly go. I have to get to class, meet you at twelve for lunch." Angela pouted slightly but nodded and gave her friend and roommate a quick hug before skipping off to her own class just down the hall.

Angela's boyfriend, Ben, and some of his close high school friends decided to start a band since they were all attending the same university. She had talked about the opening night concert for weeks every chance she got when Bella was around, and when Bella finally gave in and asked her the date, it started a whole new argument. Bella's Psychology midterm was the day before the opening night and as much as Angela begged and pleaded, Bella wouldn't give in and agree to go.

Bella walked into the lecture hall mere minutes before class was scheduled to begin. Her head was down while she focused on her cell phone and didn't notice there was someone in her normal seat until she was standing directly in front of them. She blushed and walked up another step, sitting in the seat behind the mysterious person.

Class dragged on, per usual, and before she knew it, the professor was dismissing the students. She quickly packed her things and left the room without a second glance.

She stopped outside of Angela's classroom door and waited for her to come out.

Ten minutes passed and no one had exited the classroom. Curiously, she looked through the glass window on the door and noticed it was black and from what she could tell, also empty. With a sigh she began walking towards the food court. She texted Angela on her way there;

_Where are you? I waited by your classroom but after a few minutes I noticed it was empty. –B_

She put the phone back in her pocket and reached her hand in her bag for her iPod. She panicked when she couldn't find it, trying to remember if she placed it in her bag as she was leaving her dorm room.

She huffed and pulled out her phone again noticing right away that she had a text message.

_Class was cancelled so I went back to the room. Meet me here and we'll walk over for lunch? –A_

_I have to head back to the room anyway, forgot my music –B_

_Let me know when you're back, in Ben's room atm. -A_

She shook her head at her best friend; _of course she would end up in Ben's room. _She quickly typed a reply back.

_Okay, will do. See you in a bit –B_

Bella left the building she was in and headed back to the dorm rooms. As she walked, she started playing one of the many games Angela had downloaded on her iPhone for her. She didn't notice there was someone following her.

After pushing her phone in her pocket, she pulled out her campus card which granted her access to the dorms, and quickly walked inside. She quickly walked up the flight of stairs and once again pulled out her card. The person following her stayed hidden in the shadows; this little detour was unexpected and _not_ a part of the plan.

Bella began quickly humming to herself as she unlocked her room. Pushing the door open she walked in and kicked off her shoes. Just as she was about to turn around she felt someone move behind her.

"Ang?" She was met with silence. "Ben?" She tried again; still nothing. The body pressed closer to her back, gently moved her hair out of her face and snaked an arm around her waist. She let out a little scream which was quickly muffed by a hand.

"If you cooperate, then your little friends will live. If you don't, well…" He trailed off, but he knew the girl got the message when her breathing hitched. He removed his hand just as she spoke.

"What do you want? If you want money then you have the wrong person." Bella pleaded.

The man chuckled, "Trust me; it's not money I want. Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

"Please, don't hurt me. Let me go, I swear I won't tell a sole." Bella could feel the tears coming; to say she was scared was an understatement.

"Oh, I know you won't, which is why you're coming with me." Bella began to panic as she felt him move her arms behind her back. Just as he was about to tie her hands together a knock startled them both.

"_Bella, are you in there? Open the door, I forgot my key!"_

The man quickly gripped her arms and placed a hand over her mouth. He whispered quietly in her ear, "Answer her, make up an excuse as to why you can't open the door."

As he removed his hand she let out a whimper. "Um, I'm getting dressed. Hold on." She called back to her best friend, _please leave, _she begged silently.

"_Hurry up slowpoke!" _Angela laughed as she skipped down the hall, back to her boyfriend's room.

The man let out a breath, "Good girl, see that wasn't hard." He finished tying her hands together, and proceeded to place a piece of cloth over her mouth and eyes to act as a blindfold and gag. He sat her on the bed and attached a piece of rope from her tied hands, to the towel rack above her bed.

When he confirmed she couldn't escape, he grabbed her keys and locked the door as he left the room. _Time to finish this plan and get the hell out of here. I'm so sorry baby girl; I hope you never have to work for a bad man like daddy._

He walked down the hallway where he knew there was a fire alarm. He checked to make sure the hallway was empty before pulling out a lighter and holding it towards the fire alarm. Within seconds a loud beeping was heard throughout the entire residence and he quickly went back down the hallway to get the girl. He could faintly hear her muffled screams as he unlocked the door and slipped inside.

He removed her gag but before she had a chance to speak it was replaced with a rag which contained a sweet smelling substance that she knew right away was chloroform. He quickly untied her hands and removed the blindfold, then, with the girl in his arms, he slipped out the door. He made it to the back of the building and to his car without being caught. Letting out a sigh of relief he got in his car and drove away from the university.

Bella's phone vibrated once in her pocket.

_Where are you? Please tell me you got out of the building okay. Text back as soon as you see this. –A_

The sounds coming from the girl's pocket could not be heard over the music playing softly in the car. The man continued to drive down the stretch of highway, unaware that the girl still had her phone.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Outside the residence, the students watched in horror as flames flicked from the windows. Angela searched the entire crowd for her friend but couldn't find her. She reached Ben's arms just as the police officer spoke.

"May I have your attention please; as you can see your home is currently unavailable, so there will be accommodations made for you within the next few hours. Once we get the flames under control we'll be able to access the damage and hopefully find the cause of this fire. We are terribly sorry for any possessions which may have been lost. The firefighters will keep us updated on the situation, but for now there has been a temporary shelter placed in the lounge next to the food court. We'll do everything in our power to keep you updated as much as possible on the situation and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask."

Angela kept checking her phone, praying that Bella would text her back but after ten minutes with no reply, and no luck finding her outside, she knew something was wrong. With that thought in mind, she quickly found a near-by officer.

"Excuse me, my friend, Isabella Swan is not here, she's still inside the building." Angela yelled frantically.

"Calm down miss, when was the last time you saw her?" The officer asked her calmly.

"Um, ten fifty-five, right before our class, but I spoke to her through our bedroom door about five minutes before the fire alarm went off." Angela let out a soft scream when she felt two arms around her waist, but then heard the soothing voice of her boyfriend and quickly relaxed.

"Don't worry ma'am, we'll find your friend." Angela nodded and turned in Ben's arms to face him, one look at her boyfriend and she felt the tears escape her eyes; she may never see her best friend again.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

Bella's head was pounding as she began to regain consciousness. She groaned and raised her hand to her head only to bring two hands instead. Despite her headache, her eyes flew open. She took in her surroundings and for the first time since she awoke she noticed she was in the backseat of a car. She studied the driver from her place in the backseat; she could only make out pieces of bronze hair under his baseball cap and sunglasses.

Suddenly the car abruptly slowed down and Bella rolled off the seats, landing with a barely audible 'oomph'.

"You're awake." The driver said without acknowledging her small form currently stuck between the seats. He chuckled and came to a stop in front of a small gas station; with no cars park outside, Bella assumed it wasn't very popular. He pivoted in his seat and took in her features; long brown hair, big scared doe eyes, cute round face, and a perfect scowl on her lips. "If you have to use the washroom, I suggest you do it now." She nodded weakly as she tried to get back on the seats with little luck.

He grabbed the keys from the ignition and jumped out of the car. There was no way she would be able to escape, even with her hands tied. His father made sure he had a car with all the right features; child-lock doors, and lockable and sound-proof windows. He even added his own little touch with a clear plastic barrier separating the front and back of the car; she was simply trapped.

When he opened the back door he turned off the child-lock and quickly jumped inside, causing her, unsuccessfully, to scramble to the other side while still on the floor.

He frowned while placing a hand over his heart in mock-hurt. "That hurt my feelings." His arms reached out to her shaky form and gently removed the ropes from her wrists.

"Th-thank-you." She stuttered while soothing where the rope had begun to chafe her wrists.

"When we get out of this car, you will stay by my side and never struggle or make any sudden movement. You are a weak, little girl and I _will _catch you and you _will_ be sorry. We will get in, and get out without a word, understand?" He gripped her chin when she didn't reply after a few seconds. "Do. You. Understand?" He asked again.

She nodded as much as she could with his tight grip. "Yes," she squeaked.

"Good," he nodded and released his hold.

_Be mean, make her fear you. Your job will be much easier that way. _He repeated the advice his sister had given him before leaving for Chicago. His only hope was that the girl was smart enough to obey his orders.

He moved to get out of the car while watching his captive the entire time. As soon as she was out, he gripped her hand tightly, slowly adding pressure to prove his point but not enough to cause her any harm.

Entering the gas station, the pair walked straight to the washrooms in the back of the small run-down building. He gave the washroom a quick glance, confirming there was one window, but too small for even Bella's small frame to fit through and gently pushed her inside, closing the door behind her.

Bella panicked when she heard the door close, but quickly locked it without a second thought. She searched the tiny washroom for anything to help with her escape. There was a window, but it was much too small to fit through. With a heavy sigh she forced herself to use the washroom then took her time washing her hands. When she caught her appearance in the broken mirror she let out a small gasp. Her once neat pony tail was messed up, with pieces of hair falling out of it, and her light coat of makeup was a smudged; overall, she looked like a mess.

Just as she was finished fixing her hair a loud knock echoed through the small room, _"Hurry up."_ _He_ growled. Bella didn't know who this man was or what he wanted with plain Isabella Swan, but she would obey his every command until she gets the perfect chance to escape. Her father, the police Chief of Forks, Washington had taught her to stay calm should she ever be in a situation like this.

"_Kidnappers love fear, the best advice I can give you is to stay calm and trust your instincts. Wait until they trust you, then and only then should you plan your escape."_ He father told her before she left for college with her best friend every summer since she was eighteen; she has just celebrated her twenty-second birthday a few weeks before and was in her last year of studies. She didn't think anything of the information at the time, but her father knew the big, bad world better than she did.

With one last look at the toilet seat, she lifted it back into the previous position she found it in and unlocked the door with shaky hands. Just as the lock clicked, the door flew open and her kidnapper barged inside, taking in the small place carefully for any sign of attempt escape. When he found none, he grabbed her hand once more and walked towards the door.

Just as they were about to exit, Bella heard her name near-by. Despite her kidnapper's grip on her hand, she turned her attention to the fuzzy television screen. _"Police have given out little information as of yet but we do know that so far there have only been two people reported missing; Isabella Swan, twenty-two, of Forks, Washington, and Derrick McClain, nineteen, of Youngstown, Ohio. If anyone with any information regarding the whereabout of these two students are asked to contact CEP or Chicago Police admittedly." _

"They'll know I'm missing, my father _will_ find me!" She hissed at the man forcefully pushed her out the door.

"No, they'll think you died in the fire and won't bother listing you as a 'missing person'." He replied as he slung the girl over his shoulder when she wouldn't cooperate with him.

When they arrived at his car he pushed her in the back and climbed in after her. He made quick work of tying her hands together, and then he hooked her hands to the ring which was connected to the piece of plastic separating the front and back of the car. When he was done he forced her to lie on her back and strapped her in with the seatbelts. How he managed to secure her so tightly will always be a mystery to her. He finished with a blindfold before leaving her quietly sobbing in the backseat. He engaged the child-locks once again before locking and shutting the door.

When he was sure she wouldn't be getting away anytime soon, he got in the driver seat and pulled away from the gas station.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

They drove on the highway for what seemed like hours to Bella and eventually turned off the highway onto another road where they continued driving for another long time. When they came to a stop once more, Bella was relieved and nervous at the same time. Her back, shoulders and arms were hurting from the stain of being in the same position for so long but she didn't know what this man wanted with her, and how long she was going to live once he removed her from this car.

Once he removed her bindings and pulled her roughly from the car, he directed her towards a building which was she realized was a hotel. It looked somewhat nice from the outside. "When we get inside, you will stay by my side, and not speak a word. If you do, let's just say you may not live to see tomorrow." Bella nodded in fear and the man continued to pull her along.

When they got inside, he muttered a fake name his father had given him, and handed the lady behind the desk a credit card. She swiped it, and confirmed his room number, asking him how many cards he would like.

"Just one, please." She nodded and handed him the card. "Thanks." She winked and giggled as they walked away.

He wasted no time pulling Bella towards the elevator and pressed the fifth button for their floor. Once the doors opened, he continued to drag her down the hallway and into their room.

He pointed to one of the double beds, "You should get some sleep."

Bella looked at the man in horror, and shook her head, "I'm not tired." She whispered.

The man just laughed as he locked the door, "I won't do anything. In fact, I'm going to sleep as well. The door is locked from the inside, so don't even think about trying to leave. Besides, I'm a _very_ light sleeper."

Bella sat on the bed closest to the window with her knees drew up to her chest. She turned her head away from the man that ruined her life and left the tears fall. The silence in the room was interrupted by a loud sound coming from her stomach. It was then she realized the last time she ate was breakfast.

He chuckled, "Hungry?" She nodded, still keeping her distance from the man. "If I can trust you to stay put then I'll go get us some food." She eyed him suspiciously but nodded. "The bathroom is in there, and there are some clothes in that bag. I'm pretty sure they're your size. Freshen up and I'll be back before you know it."

She whispered, "Okay" but didn't move from her spot.

Bella watched as the man walked towards the door, just as he was about to leave he turned to face her, "Oh, and if you take one step outside that door, you'll regret it." With that, he was gone.

Bella waited until she was sure the man was gone before she moved from the bed. She slowly walked towards the door, and looked out the peep-hole, jumping back in fright when she felt something vibrate in her pocket. Looking down she noticed she still had her phone. She confirmed there was no way she could lock the door from the inside without a key, and she was afraid to open the door, in fear of him being on the other side.

Wasting no time, she pulled it out anyway and noticed she had twenty missed calls from Angela, and thirty-two text messages. She dialed her best friend's number, praying she would pick up.

"_Hello? Bella?" _

"Ang." She cried softly when her friend picked up.

"_Bella, thank god you're safe! Our building caught on fire, and I thought for sure I lost you. Where are you?"_

"I-I don't know. Ang, I've been kidnapped." Sobs began to wreck through her body as she stared at the door.

"_Bella, calm down, do you know where you're too? Is there a sign or anything?" _

"I-I'm in a ho-hotel. Um, there's nothing say…wait," Bella quickly moved to the desk when her eyes caught a book, "We're at the Holiday Inn, in, um," she flipped through some pages before a name caught her eye, "Youngstown! Youngstown, Ohio. Please hurry Ang-" There was a loud beep then silence, "Hello? Ang?" She looked at her phone only to realize that it had gone dead. She could only hope her friend got the information she gave her. She threw her phone on the bed and flopped down next to it.

She closed her eyes for just a second, but it wasn't long before she felt herself drifting off to sleep.

* * *

**I really hope you like this chapter more than the last! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and the next chapter will be posted soon because it's finished :) **

**Reviewers will also get a teasers to the next chapter! :D**


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